Two new studies suggest that practising tai chi may improve the health of diabetics.
One study analyzed how tai chi impacted immune cell function in 60 people, half with diabetes. During the 12-week study, researchers found that immune cell activity increased in all participants, and blood sugar levels improved for the study subjects with diabetes.
In the second study, researchers followed 11 adults who were middle aged and older who practice tai chi. The study participants showed improvement in blood sugar levels, blood pressure, waist size and weight.
Tai chi is a gentle form of exercise that combines deep breathing with soft, controlled movement.
The studies were published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Abstract (Study One)
Background: Exercise has been shown to be beneficial in treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM); its benefit to immune function, however, remains to be determined.
Objective: This study investigated the effect of a 12-week course of Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) exercise on T cell helper (Th) reaction in type 2 DM patients.
Design, Setting, and Participants: This study was a case-control design. Thirty pairs of type 2 DM patients and normal age-matched adults completed this study. Fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, mediators (IL-12, IL-4 and TGF锟�) and transcription factors (T-bet, GATA-3 and FoxP3) of Th1/Th2/T regulatory (Treg) reaction were measured before and after a 12-week TCC exercise program. RESULTS -- Fasting glucose and HbA1c levels in the participating type 2 DM patients were significantly higher than age-matched controls before exercise. After the TCC exercise, HbA1c levels in type 2 DM patients significantly decreased (7.59 锟斤拷 0.32 vs. 7.16 锟斤拷 0.22 %; P= 0.047), along with a significant increase of blood IL-12 levels (5.96 锟斤拷 1.10 vs. 12.96 锟斤拷 3.07; P = 0.035). To probe molecular Th1/Th2/Treg reaction, we found that type 2 DM patients had lower T-bet, but not GATA-3 or FoxP3 expression than normal controls before TCC exercise. After the 12-week TCC exercise, T-bet expression significantly increased in type 2 DM patients.
Conclusions: A 12-week TCC exercise program decreases HbA1c levels, along with increase of the Th1 reaction. A combination of TCC with medication may provide even better in both metabolism and immunity of type 2 DM patients.
Abstract (Study Two)
Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and effects of a Tai Chi and Qigong medical exercise program that aimed to improve indicators of metabolic syndrome and glycaemic control in adults with elevated blood glucose.
Design, Setting, and Participants: A single group pre-post trial of 11 participants (3 male and 8 female; aged 42-65 years) with elevated blood glucose, conducted from August to November 2005 at a university in Australia.
Invervention: Participants attended Tai Chi and Qigong exercise training for 1 to 1.5 hours, 3 times per week for 12 weeks, and were encouraged to practice the exercises at home.
Main Outcome Measures: Indicators of metabolic syndrome (body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol), and glucose control (HbA1c, fasting insulin and insulin resistance).
Results: There was good adherence and high acceptability for the group based program. There were significant improvements in four of the seven indicators of metabolic syndrome including body mass index [mean difference -1.05 (95% CI: -1.48, -0.63), p<0.001], waist circumference [-2.80 cm (-4.97, -0.62), p<0.05)], and both systolic [-11.64 mm Hg (-19.46, -3.51), p<0.01)] and diastolic blood pressure [-9.73 mm Hg (-13.58, -5.88), p<0.001)]. There were also small improvements in HbA1c [-0.32 % (-0.49, -0.15), p<0.01)], fasting insulin [-9.93 pmol/L (-19.93, 0.07), p = 0.051] and insulin resistance [-0.53 (-0.97, -0.09), p<0.05].
Conclusions: The program was shown to be feasible and acceptable and the findings suggest that it may be helpful for control of indicators of metabolic syndrome and glycaemic control. Larger controlled studies are needed to confirm these promising results.
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